The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-16
GOLD AND GLORY.
IIowliecruits are Trained for the Army-slx Hum
fred Men Constantly In School on Oa'id's
Island.


From the New York Herald.
From high staff on David's lslanu
floats the national ensign. David's
Island is place OF national impor-
lance 1t is about twenty miles from
the city by water, and is the principal
recruiting depot OF the United States
army. 1t is more than that, indeed,
for the recruit is there taught to be a
soldier. What the university is to the
professional man David's Island is to
the enlisted man OF the army. A uni
versity graduate becomes an A. b. a
David's Island graduate become an
II. p. Both have the world TO con-
quer. One takes postgraduate
course in the law courts; the other
takes q postgraduate course on the
plains among the Indians.
There is no more important work in
the military service than the selecting
and first training OF men for the ar
my. 1t is work that requires the
most careful attention to detail and
intelligent direction. 1t is perhaps n
military duty that is least under
stood by the general public, and the
popular idea is oftentimes that any
miserable fellow, disguised with all
the world and bearing the record OF
crime, may throw off all responsible
ties and become q soldier. In this the
general opinion is in error, The Gov
eminent seeks to throw all possible
influence against the recruiting OF UNI
fit men, and wants only thegood ones.
TO this end the Off GERS chosen tor the
service are those OF experience.
There are three principal points, or
depots as they are officially termed
David's Island, Jefferson Barracks,
Missouri tfor the cavalry only, and
Columbus Barracks, Ohio. There are
twenty-six sub-depots or rendezvous
from which never ceasing
supply OF men is kept moving toward
the three great centers. In charge OF
all this system is u superintendent OF
recruiting service, with headquarters
in this city, who is Lieutenant Colo
mel A. l.. Hough, Sixteenth Infantry
whose Assistant Adiutant General is
First Lieutenant i. II. Patterson, OF
the First Artillery.
Lieutenant Colonel K. +, O'Beirne,
OF the Fifteenth Infantry, is the Com.
| manding Officer OF David's Island, and
his Adjutant is First Lieutenant Cal
vim ID. Cowles.
The Government requires about
5000 recruits each year. The APP
plicants at the recruiting rem
devious are carefully examined.
Many of them, indeed, are turned
away on general principles before ex-
animation, and only one in SIX is ac-
cepted after. The physique must lie
good, the character las far rs can 9
learned) must be good, and ii it is dis
covered after enlistment that q recruit
hae committed crime he will be | er-
emptorily dismissed. Then he is sent
to the island, where he is again exam
med. and the first examination is
liable to be set aside il the man is not
all right. lie is kept three months
and then drafted away, to some regi-
ment az required.
There are 600 OF the them there
now in all stages OF prcF:ation;
from he who turns his Goes m
! to he who wears u corporal
stripes for excellence at drill, and there
are few awkward men in the lot. It'll
a surprising fact that three days in
the hands OF good drill sergeant will
take most OF the kinks out oil u man,
put stiffness in his backbone and give
him that graceful earring that can
only he attained by military ''set-
ting up" These 600 are divided into
four companies There is besides n
permanent force of sergeants, corpo-
rails, quartermaster' men, etc.
When a recruit arrives he is first
ushered into the awful presence OF the
Sergeant Major. whose eagle eye and
Years OF experience can detect a mus
Gle out OF place. He then goes to the Ad-
infant. is receipted for, assigned TO a
company and gets his uniform.
A good dinner comes next rs 1t
is assumed that the average recult is
hungry. After dinner he is whisked
away to the hospital and vaccinated.
On the second day he is examined by
the surgeon finally, and ii not rejected
land only about l per cent. are on
this final examination is completely
uniformed If he desires it he is allow
ed SO credit ut the traders and as
signed TO n squad to be fashioned into
shape.
Drill is from 10 to IL o'clock in the
morning and from = TO 5 O'Clock
in the afternoon. The recruit
does no sentry duty at all iol
the first month or so, OF
until he is considered fit TO perform